Copenhagen cycling blogger Mikael Colville-Andersen has a solution: he's been known to collect guests, bags and all, from the airport on a cargo bike, the voluminous, box-fronted machines common in the city.

One caveat to all this bike joy is that it's largely for the locals -- there is, as yet, no bike rental outlet at the airport.

If you've ever had the urge to see the belly of a plane operated by budget carrier Ryanair from a distance of about 20 meters but just didn't know how, here's the answer.

Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, a compact, volcanic smudge off the coast of northwest Africa, is already something of a draw for serious road cyclists with its lightly trafficked roads, idyllic scenery and perma-spring climate.

There's also a quiet, largely traffic-free bike lane along the coast from the main resort of Puerto del Carmen to the island's quiet capital, Arrecife.

Vancouver's International Airport has five sets of bike parking racks between its terminals.

Courtesy VANCOUVER AIRPORT AUTHORITY

Vancouver's busy international airport describes itself as "committed" to helping more people ride to and from its location on a semi-detached island a little more than 10 miles from the city center.

An official airport map has a range of cycling options, including cycle lanes adjoining roads and shared pathways, with no fewer than five sets of bike parking racks scattered between the terminals.

If you arrive weary from a flight and decide you simply can't face a ride into the city, the airport's rapid rail transit system happily transports bikes (apart from two hours during peak commuter times).

Manchester Airport (UK)

Manchester Airport, it's fair to say, isn't on many list of the world's great aviation hubs.

But it is the UK's third busiest airport, handling 20 million passengers a year. And it has a defunct Concorde on display.

Far less known is that Manchester Airport -- located in the Cheshire countryside about 10 miles from the city center -- possesses an eight-mile orbital cycleway.

This bike route is so close to the action it features a pair of tunnels passing under the twin runways.

The route also takes in some lovely countryside adjoining the Styal Country Park, and a selection of pubs.

It's more often used for leisure riding and plane spotting than riding to catch flights, though some do.